Improvement in harvester reel and dropper



4 Sheets-Sheet 1.

A. 0. & R. SRIVER. Harvester Real and Dropper.

No. 216,706. Paten fed June 1711819.

INVENTDR:

ATTORNEYS.

WITNESSES: W Fa%T/4 pi WASHINGYON. D (Jv 4 Sheets-Sheet 2,

A. 0. & R. W. S'RIVE R. Harvester Reel and Dropper.

N5. 216,706 Patented June 1?, i879.

WITNESSES: NVBNTORr ATTORNEYS.

N,PETERS, PNOTO-LFINOGRAPHER, WASHINGTON D c.

4 Sheets-Sheet 3.'

A. 0. 85B. W. SRIVER. Harvester Reel and Dropper No. 216,706. Patented Jun 17,

INVBNTOR S isii ki WITNESSES: /L %&

ATTORNEYS.

4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

A. O.'-& R. W. SRIVER. Harvesterfieel and Dropper.

No. 216,706; 1 Patentedlune 17,1879.

w WITNESSES: J J INVENTOR:

. f 1 W QL 2 M M 4 Y ATTORNEYS.

' and a part of UNI STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ARTHUR o. SRIVER AND REUBEN w. sEWEE, or NEW BA Ti oEE, oHio.

IMPROVEMENT IN HARVESTER REEL AND DROPPER.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 216.706, dated June 17, 1879; application filed I April 15, 1879.

Toall whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, ARTHUR OAENEs SRIVER and REUBEN WISE SEWER, of New Baltimore, in the county of Stark and State of Ohio, have invented a new and Improved Combined Reaper and Dropper; and we do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which- Figurel is a side view with the platform in vertical section through line 00 m, Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrow. Fig. 2 is a plan view with a part of the drivers platform the endless apron forming the grain-platformbroken away. Fig. 3 is a ver' tical section through the line 3 y, Fig. 2,1001:- ing in the direction of the double arrow. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the devices for adjusting the reel. Fig. 5 is a view of a portion of the same devices from the other side. Fig. 6 is a perspective of the treadle-connections as operated by the drivers foot.

()ur invention relates to a novel construction and arrangement of parts for constituting a combined reaper and dropper adapted to cut the grain, to divide the same into gavels, and drop such gavels.

The principal features of our invention consist in the improved means for regulating the vertical adjustment of the reel above the cutter-bar, and in the peculiar means for renderin g the discharge of the cut grain intermittent, together with devices for controlling the action of the parts, as hereinafter fully described.

In the drawings, A, Fig. 2, represents a rectangular frame, arranged beneath the drivers platform, and provided with bearings which contain the main shaft B, supported at its ends upon the two running wheels 0 O. ()n this shaft is a bevel-wheel, D, meshing with a bevel-pinion, D at right angles, which pinion is fixed upon a shaft carrying the gearwheel D and which latter engages with a pinion, D on a longitudinal shaft, D This shaft 1) extends to the rear of the frame A, and is there provided with a chain-wheel, a, and a wrist-pin, b, which latter in its revolution imparts through the pitman b the necessary reciprocating motion for the cutter-bar W.

E is the platform-frame, having an apron or web, E, distendedaround rollers E E and moving transversely to the line of draft. This apron and frame constitute together the platform, which is supported at its outer side by the wheel E and at its inner side by the drag-bar E, which drag-bar is swung from arms E E which arms are pivoted beneath the drivers platform to the bearings of the longitudinal shaft D and are adjusted vertically to regulate the height of the cutter-bar by means of the two lift-rods c c, Fig. 1, attached to elbow-levers c c, which latter are located upon the frame A, and are provided with detents that engage with curved and notched plates c c to hold the parts to their adjustment.

F is the reel, which consists of a series of horizontal arms affixed by radial spokes at one end to a grooved hub, F This hub is arranged upon an axis projecting from a crankarm, F Figs. 4 and 5, affixed to arock-shaft,-

F and is rotated by a belt, F passing around a pulley on the hub of the adjacent main wheel 0. Now, in adjusting the reel vertically above the cutter-bar it will be seen that it it moves upon the crank-arm F about the rock shaft F as a center, (see Figs. 1, 4, and 5,) the line of adjustment described by the reel will be the arc of a circle, which causes the said reel in some parts of its adjustment to be thrown out of the vertical line of the cutterbar, which is objectionable.

To obviate this and cause the adjustment of the reel to be always in, or nearly in, the same vertical plane, we arrange the rock-shaft F (carrying the reel) in bearin gs in a forked and tilting frame, F, pivoted at its lower end, at d, Figs. 1 and 4, to a support attached to the drag-bar. also a rod, F, Figs. 2, 4, and 5, which extends forward past the wheel, and is attached to an extension of the main frame A, Fig. 2. To the opposite end of the rock-shaft from the reel is attached an elbow-lever, d (1 Figs. 3 and 4, from the upper-arm, d of which a rod, d extends to a hand-lever, F and from Connecting to the cranlcarm F is d, and the pulleys e e chain wheel, f,

the lower arm, d of which a rod, (1 extends to the elbow or lower end of said hand-lever F". A rod, (1 also extends from the lower arm, d of the elbow-lever to the base-plate of lever F which is a fixed part. This hand- ]ever F is also provided with the customary detent and notched bar to hold it to its position.

Now, in adjusting the reel vertically, the rod (1 and arm d of the elbow-lever form together one set of toggle-arms, and the rodF and crank-arm F form together another set of toggle-arms, so that when the lever F is deflected the rock-shaft F is both turned on its axis and is moved sidewise, so as to cause the tilting frame to rock on its lower bearing. The result of this movement is that the reelaxis has a movement somewhat similar to the movement of the center pivot of a set of toggle-arms, which gives an adjustment for the reel in a plane which is nearly always in a vertical line with the cutter-bar.

In connecting the hub F of the reel with the hub of the nearer drive-wheels O, by the belt F the latter is passed first around the fixed guide-pulleys c e, and thence around guide-pulleys e 12 mounted on the arm F. To reduce the slack in this belt due to the changes in the adjustment, the pulleys e 0 should be fixed as close as possible to the pivotal point should also be placed as closely as possible to the pivotal point F The construction and arrangement of the dropping devices will now be described. The apron E is made to traveltransversely to the line of draft in the rear of the cutter-bar from the rotation of roller E which is driven by a and chain f, by the chainwheel a upon the rear end of the longitudinal shaft 1). The grain which is cut falls upon said apron, and is carried by it against cut-off bar G, (when the latter is down,) which, at the proper time, is raised, and the gavel delivered upon the curved trough H. The cutoff then again descends to separate the gavel from the grain still pressing inward, and while down a reel, I, forces the gavel in the trough onto a dropper, J, which drops it, the cut-off being then again raised for a repetition of the operation.

All of these parts are arranged to operate in conjunction with each other, and their said operation is under the immediate control of the driver. Before describing their joint operation, however, it is best for the sake of clearness to describe their individual means of operation.

The cut-off bar or rake G is provided at its free end with an extension, g, Fig. 1, which,

when the bar is down, rests against the side of a stud, 9 on the platform, to brace said outoff and prevent it from being strained out of position (when down) by the pressing of the grain against the same. The said cut-off is fixed to the crank-arm g of a rock-shaft, 9 which latter is held in. bearings in the top of the standards 9* g, and is operated through a rod, 9 attachedto a crank at the other'e'nd of the shaft. This rod extends forward to the front end of the machine, where it is attached to a catch, 9 against which the treadle K is made to engage to exercise a traction or draft on said rod g when'pushed forward, and. over the inclined face of which catch thetreadle is moved backward. The catch g 9 is pivoted to an extension from the main frame, so as to oscillate in the same frame with the treadle, and is held constantly to the rear by the tension of a spring, 9 Figs. 1, 3, and 6.. This spring is arranged not in the plane of the pivot of the catch, but beneath an offset, t,

therefrom, so that said' spring not only produces a backward movement of the rod 9 (which raises the cutoff bar,) but, with a cer tain degree of loosencss at its pivot, it furnishes a sufficient elastic side movement to allow the treadle to engage with the catch when moved in one direction, (forward,) and thrust it aside for a new hold the reverse direction.

The dropper-reel Iis arranged in bearings above the curved trough H, and its bars h are arranged to slide on the radial spokes, and

when moved in are backed by springs h which render them" yielding, so that if they should descend upon a pile of grain they do not break, but yield upon their springs. For driving this reel its shaft I, Figs. 2 and 6, is extended to the front end of the machine, and is provided with a cog-wheel, k which is intermittently rotated by the lugs or tappets h formed on the drivewheel 0. This end of the shaft bearing the cog-wheel is made laterally adjustable, so that the cog may be either in a position tobe operated by the lugs or tappets on the wheel (J, or may be out of range therewith. For this purpose this end of the shaft is journaled in a laterally-sliding bar, M, which is pressed constantly toward the main wheel 0 by a spring,

k For withdrawing the cog-wheel from the range of contact with the tappets an exten-' sion, h", Figs. 3 and 6, is formed upon the lower end ofthe treadle, which normally is at the end of the sliding bar It, so as to oppose its motion and hold the cog-wheel rigidly in contact with the tappet. Just in the rear of the treadle, and in the range of the movement of the extension h therefrom, is an elbowlever, k Figs. 2 and 6, one of whose arms is struck by the extension h, (as soon as said extension passes from in front of sliding bar k and the other of whose arms rests against a shoulder on slide-bar h, so that a deflcc tion of the treadle has the effect of removing its lower extension from the end of bar M, and at the same time withdrawing (through the elbow-lever) the bar h and cog-wheel 70 from the range of engagement with the lugs on the wheel.

The dropper J consists of a base slotted so asto form fingers pointing to the rear, and provided with a guard-plate, i, Fig. 2, to hold the grain thereupon as received from the trough. This dropper is pivoted at i to a frame-bar, 41 which latter is sustained at dif ferent heights by a rod, 1'', detent-lever i and notched plate. This dropper is held in ahorizontal position by an arm, j, and a rod, 7' which latter extends to the front of the ma' chine, and is there attached to the elbow-lever .h", Figs. 2, 3, and 6. Now, when this elbowlever is thrown back from the action of the cooperating parts, it will be seen that the rod f is thrown to the rear, and the dropper drops upon its pivots i so that the stubble projects between the finger-bars and drags off the gavel.

The several parts of the dropping arrangement having been thus specifically described, their combined operation is as follows: The cut-off bar being down upon the platform, the grain, as carried to one side by the endless apron, piles up against the same until a sufficient quantity has accumulated to produce a gavel. At this point the driver presses the treadle past the catch g, and the rod 9 moves to the rear from the tension of spring g raisin g the cut-off bar. The accumulated grain is then allowed to discharge into the trough uir til a sufficient quantity for a gavel has passed. The treadle being now brought back, it is pressed forward a given distance, and made to engage withthe catch g and force the cutoff bar down again. While the cut-off is down the lugs on the wheel 0 rotate the dropperreel, causing the charge of grain to be swept over upon the dropper-frame. The driver then forces the treadle farther forward to complete its movement. This last part of the movement: of the treadle has, through the elbow-lever 717, a threefold effect. (See Fig. 6.) First, it slackens the tension on the dropper-rod j, allowing the dropper to fall and discharge the gavel. Secondly, it throws the reel'shaft out of gear with the drive-wheel G; and, thirdly, as the treadle passes catch g it allows the spring 9' to raise the cut-01f to admit a new supply of grain to the now stationary reel. As soon as the cut-off descends again the reel discharges the grain in the trough to the dropper, the dropper discharges it, and the action is continued so long as the reaper is in action.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new is-- 1. The combination, with the reel F, of the means for adjusting the same, consisting of the tilting frame F, the rock-shaft F having crank-arm F", the rod F", elbow-lever d (P, the rods d d d", and the hand-lever F all ar-. ranged substantially shown and described.

2. The combination, with the hub of the main wheel and the belt F, of the fixed guidepulleys e c, the tilting frame F, the crank-arm F carrying guide-pulleys 0 c and the reel-hub F substantially as and for the purpose dein g a catch for the treadle, and an offset, 6, to-

gether with the spring 9 substantially as and for the purpose described.

6. The reel I, having its shaft 1 extended to the front part of the machine, and provided with a cog-wheel, If, the said forward end being arranged in an adjustable bearing and combined with the drive-wheel 0, having tappets 12 as shown and described.

7. The treadle K, having a downward extension h in combination with the elbow-lever h the sliding bar It", the spring h, the catch 9 and the spring 9'', substantially as and for the purpose described.

Witnesses E. R. RoYER, EDWARD GLASS. 

